Artificial limb.



F. LASTAWSKAS.

ARTIFICIAL LIIVIB.

APPLICATION FILED MAR 21' 1918- ]I 93 fi Patented Feb. 4, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

F. LASTAWSKAS.

ARTIFICIAL LIMB.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 21. I918- 1&9 8 %?8 Patented Feb. 4, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

FIG. 3.

LASTAWSKA S, 0F BUGKLEY, WASHINGTON.

ARTIFICIAL LIMIB.

\ meaaac.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK LASTAWSKAS, a citizen of Russia, having declared my intention to become a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Buckley, in

' the county of Pierce and State of Washington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Artificial Limbs, of which the following is a specification.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of an artificial limb in the form of an arm and a hand especially adapted for use by soldiers who have lost an upper limb in timeof war and by means of my device may still be useful for different kinds of work.

A further object of the invention is to provide an artificial hand and forearm which is of light weight and great strength and may be readily attached to the stump of an arm for service in place of the portion which has been severed with the hand portion provided with grasping and holding means.

In the drawings forming a part of this application and in which like designating characters refer to corresponding parts throughout the several views,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the device operatively mounted upon a persons arm and illustrated in an outstretched position.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a portion of the same with the forearmand hand i1lustrated in slightly bent arrangement.

Fig. 3 is an elevational view of the back of the hand.

Fig. 4 is an elevational view of the palm side thereof with the cover plate removed and elements illustrated by dotted lines.

Fig. 5 is a side elevation thereof with the internal mechanism illustrated by dotted lines, and

Fig. 6 is a central longitudinal sectional view thereof illustrating one of the fingers by dot-ted lines in its bent closing position.

Referring more in detail to the drawings, my invention broadly consists of an artificial limb portion including a forearm 10 and a hand 11, while attaching means consisting of hingedly connected sleeves 12 and 13 are provided for mounting the device upon the upper arm or remaining portion 14 of the person such as the soldier 15.

The forearm and hand are formed of an elongated piece of material such as wood or Specification of Letters Patent.

composition arranged with a chamber 16 in the hand portion 11 thereof provided with a cover plate 17 in the palm of the hand. The sleeves 12 and 13 are connected togethenby means of hinges 18 forming an elbow jolnt and having the elbow portion 19 of the arm 14 arranged therein with the severed portlon or stump 20 of the persons forearm extending into the lower sleeve 12. Suitable straps 21 are provided around the sleeves 12 and 13 for compressing the said sleeves in tight seating engagement upon the stump 20 and upper arm 14 respectively, the said sleeves having overlapping side portions 22 permitting a slight change in.

the diameter thereof.

A plurality of fingers 23 and a thumb 24 are provided for the hand 11 arranged with hinged joints 25, the said fingers and thumb being readily movable inwardly for graspmg objects upon bending the arm 14 at the elbow 19, such operation being accomplished by the mechanism hereinafter described. A hollow passage 26 is provided through each of the fingers 23 communicating with the chamber 16 by openings 27 and operating cords 28 are connected as at 29 to the fingers within the passages 26 thereof and extending through the openings 27 are attached to a suitable header or bar 29 within the chamber 16. A pull rope 30 is attached to the header 29 and passes through an opening 31 in the hand 11, wrist 32 and forearm 10 and extends outwardlythrough an opening 33 in the sleeve 12 and over a pulley 34 carried by the said sleeve adjacent the elbow hinges l8 and is attached to a staple 35 upon the upper sleeve 13. A pull cord 36 is similarly arranged within the thumb 24 adjacent the free end thereof and passes into the chamber 16 being attached to the rope 30 at a point therein. A spring 37 is arranged between the header 29 and a base 38 adjacent the lower end of the opening 31 for normally maintaining the hee 'ler with the cords 28 in their loosened arrangement with the fingers 23 opened, the thumb 24 also remaining open for similar reasons.

It will be seen that when the person 15 bends his arm 14 at the elbow 19, the sleeve 12 will be moved upon its hinges 18 into an angular arrangement relative to sleeve 13 which will cause the pulley 34 to force the adjacent portion of the rope 30 outwardly and pulling the rope through the opening 33 Patented Feb. 4, 19119.. Application filed March 27, 1918. Serial No. 224,970.

forclosing the fingers 23 and thumb 2t upon the hinged joints 25 thereof. In this man ner, the bending of the arm 14: at the elbow causes the hand 11 to partiallyclose for grasping and holding objects, the straightening out of the elbow again returns the hand to its open arrangement.

A resilientand waterproof covering 39 ispreferably arranged upon the fingers 23 and thumb 24 for protecting the hinged joints 25 thereof as well as to maintain the fingers. and thumb in their-open arrangement when released from the pulling action of the cords 28 and 36. A serviceable device is arranged which is light in weight and may be formed of waterproof materlal, the structurebeing readily attached to a persons arm for carrying in its operative arrangement without in:

- convenience to the wearer.

What I claim is 1. An artificial limb member comprising a forearm, a hand integrally formed therewith,

fingers hinged to the said hand adapted for movement toward the palm thereof, a lower split sleeve secured upon said forearm, an upper split sleeve adapted for encircling the upper arm of the wearer hinged connections between said sleeves a a ted for arrangement adjacent the elbow oint ofthe wearer when the device is operatively positioned with the forearm stump of the wearer positioned'in said lower sleeve, binding straps encircling the said sleeves, a pulley adjacent Lesa-rte the'up er and of the lower sleev'e'at. the

outer side of the device, cords attached to said fingers, and a pull rope connected to the said cords passin through the 'back ofthe forearm over sa pull and attached to the back of the u per sleeve whereby the said rope is pulle" uponbending the elbowof the wearer during the finger closing operaber attached to saidcords, the forearm being provided with an opening through the back thereof, a spring within said chamber attached to said header for normallyrelaxing said cords, a pulley'u on the upper end ofthe lower one of sa d s eeves at the outer side of the device, an anchoring means upon the back of the upper sleeve, and a pull rope attached to said header passing through the said opening and over the said pulle With its free end. attached to said am oring means. j

In testimony whereof I afix my signature.

FRANK LAsrAws- A sQ 

